Chapter 9: To Blow Up
District 2

"Good morning sunshine," Jael called as she entered the dark room and threw open the blinds.

Diana woke up with a start as she tried to take in her surroundings. She was in a strange room that she didn't recognize, and she couldn't figure out why Jael was waking her up.

"What are you doing here?" Diana asked as she blinked and got used to the light now flooding in the room.

"It's training day."

Oh, right. It all came back to Diana. She had volunteered for the 54th Hunger Games and it was her first morning in the Capitol.

A smile found it's way to her lips.

Training day. Time for her to go show the others what she was made of. Time for her to go show that District 2 girls could kick ass.

Jael was the last District 2 winner, Diana would be the next. Ex-best friend of Emily Halberd, Diana was going to make it farther then both Emily and Emily's brother. She would even make it further then Jael's own sister Sadie.

Angelo was already in the room when Diana arrived for breakfast.

"Good morning," Diana said to him, he glared at her in response. She would be flat on her back dead if looks could kill. Then again, if looks could kill, Emily would have been dead way before her name had been called last year.

"You're late," Hervvide, the male mentor grunted as Diana grabbed a plate and filled it up with food.

"Oh goody, speech time," Jael said, clapping her hands together sarcastically. Diana smirked.

"Soon the two of you will go to training with the others."

"Duh," Diana muttered, Jael had to hide a smile.

Hervvide continued on as if Diana hadn't of spoken.

"There will be twenty four of you there. Learn the weaknesses and strengths of everyone else. You need to know how to defeat the others."

"I know how, kill them," Angelo flashed his pearly whites, although, they weren't really pearly white, more like stained yellow. Obviously he didn't care about dental hygiene like Diana did.

"I like him," Jael said, "he has promise."

"What about me?" Diana asked, eager to get a compliment from Jael. Diana had always hero-worshiped Jael.

"We'll see."

Diana hid her disappointment behind her toast smothered with strawberry rhubarb jam.

After she filled her stomach, Diana and Angelo wandered to training.

The number 2 was pinned to their backs and they waited for the rest of the tributes to arrive.

District 1 was already there. The careers districts always showed up first.

"Amethyst," the girl said with an edge to her tone. Diana could see that Amethyst was going to be her main concern.

"Diana," Diana replied with just as much edge.

"Ooh, girl fight," the boy next to Amethyst said.

"Shut up Ross," Amethyst hissed at him. Ross just grinned. It was easy to see that Ross wasn't easily angered. He would be a good addition to the Career group.

One by one the rest of the tributes trickled in and had their District numbers pinned to their backs. Yet another way to divide them.

Diana looked around at her group. Five of them. There should be six. Which tribute didn't want to join them?

Diana searched and found the District 4 female tribute standing off on her own. The girl's scary scar flashed about her face.

Well at least Diana wouldn't have to look at 4's scar every day.

"We'd be stronger with six," Amethyst said, bringing Diana back into the conversation.

"Well it doesn't look like my partner wants to join," Artis, the four boy, said.

"So who should we offer a chance to join us?" Amethyst asked.

The others shouted out names of tributes who might be worthy enough to join them.

Angelo was the only one who didn't have an opinion. Diana wondered if he was mute or something. She hadn't heard him mutter a single word.

"What about the District five girl, she seems like a good addition," Amethyst said.

"Go ask her then," Diana said.

"Don't tell me what to do."

"Fine, don't ask her. I could care less what you do."

Amethyst and Diana stared each other down. Ross, Artis and Angelo watched the two girls in curiosity, wondering what was going to happen.

"Bets on another Trax and Emily relationship?" Ross muttered.

"You're on," Artis whispered back.

"I'll never be like Emily," Diana shouted, causing all the tributes to look over at her.

Amethyst stalked over to the District Five girl. Diana couldn't hear what Amethyst said to the girl, but the girl's response was clear and precise.

"Bite me," her voice was cold and savage like. "I'll never join you, in fact, I'm going to slay you."

"So no then," Diana smirked as Amethyst slinked back to the Careers. Amethyst threw Diana a very angry glare. Diana was glad yet again that looks couldn't kill.

"Let's get started," a Gamemaker with a high squeaky voice said. All the tributes were accounted for. "There are stations all around the room, you can go to any stations that strike your fancy. There will be no fighting with the other tributes, no throwing punches at the other tributes."

Diana headed straight for the weapon station. As did a lot of the other tributes. Weapons was always a very popular place.

Diana picked up a knife, it felt like an extension to her hand. Like it always belonged there.

Diana had often fantasized about using a knife on the people that hurt her.

She hadn't always been popular. In fact, she used to be a nerd. Especially since she had been Emily Halberd's best friend. Ending her friendship with Emily had been the best decision that Diana had ever made.

Emily was a fun girl, they had been best friends for most of their childhood. But Emily was constantly being picked on, constantly being bullied. When Diana stood up for Emily, that was when Whimsical and the rest of her crew turned on Diana as well. For years Emily and Diana were the victims of bullying.

Often her day at school was so bad that Diana would come home crying. Then she would get upset, grab a knife and start stabbing pillows.

Knives had been her savior. Whenever she got angry, she used a knife to get rid of her anger. Being bullied as a child had changed her into who she was now. Cold and closed off.

Cold and closed off, those two words described most careers. Especially Angelo Braxus. Of course, you could also add temperamental and dangerous to Angelo's personality.

He watched the other tributes as they went about from station to station.

His mentor had been correct. Angelo needed to know the strengths and weaknesses of the other tributes. Angelo already knew what he was good at and what he sucked at. So it didn't really matter what station he went to.

His district partner, what was her name, had no upper body strength and was pretty weak.

He could see that the District 4 girl, who didn't want to join the Career Alliance, was a good fighter. She would have been a good addition to their group, but he could easily dispose of her. She seemed like she would be a deadly player, that scar on her face made her seem even more dangerous. He'd rather that she be on his side, at least for a little bit.

The District 7 tributes both looked like they knew what a hard day's work was. The girl was strong, as if she lugged an ax around all day long. The boy seemed a little weaker then the girl, and he couldn't stop staring at her.

Angelo rolled his eyes, it was very sickening actually. And very obvious that the boy was madly crushing on the girl.

Angelo couldn't see what the big deal was. The 7 girl wasn't even that hot. Angelo liked blondes himself, but 7 was a brunette. In fact, there were several brunettes that were a tad prettier then 7.

Definitely not the girl from 11 though. Eleven had thick eyebrows that arched up and made her look angry and pissed off.

Angelo stopped categorizing the other tributes and turned his attention back to the trap making station. The guy running the station was trying to explain how to make a trap out of a leaf. Which Angelo thought was completely bogus. Not even the most creative of person could make a trap with a single leaf.

A tribute came out of nowhere and sat down next to Angelo, accidently bumping into him.

Angelo could feel the anger trickling up to his face.

"Don't touch me," Angelo hissed through clenched teeth. The tribute, the girl from Eight, didn't tremble at his tone.

"Oops, sorry," she giggled, "I'm Janie."

"I don't care."

His abrupt tone really didn't seem to bother her at all. And that pissed him off. Angelo was used to other people skirting away from him. He didn't like other people, he found them annoying. His rude, abrupt manner usually kept the others far away from him, just like he liked it.

But this Janie girl wasn't getting the picture.

"Go away," Angelo barked at her.

"I have a right to be here, this is training, and I want to learn about traps," Janie said with a smile plastered onto her face.

Angelo couldn't bite back the anger. His temper was flaring up.'

"SHUT UP!" Angelo yelled. His therapist was going to have a fit if she found out that Angelo was yelling again. Angelo didn't really care though, he had never bought into therapist crap. He thought they were a bunch of shit heads who didn't know crap.

Janie didn't react like he thought she would. She just smiled at him.

"You need anger management class," she informed him.

"Tried that already, it didn't work."

"Obviously you weren't trying hard enough. Let me help you, don't let the little things bother you. Just take a deep breath and count to ten. Eventually the anger will pass and you won't blow up as easily."

She was really getting on his nerves. Why couldn't she just leave him alone? In a few days he would get his revenge. She would be easy to take down.

"See, deep breath, count to ten, it really does work," Janie smiled at him again.

She was cute. Had a beautiful smile, and wonderful features. Why were all the pretty girls annoying as crap?

"I'll try it, thanks for your help," Angelo said, hoping she would go away.

"Anytime," Janie said, leaning forward to grab the leaf and fashioned it into a trap. She grinned at him. Her smile lit up her face, her hair fell down in curls, a strand found it's way to his shoulder. He hated being touched. He hated the fact that she was so close to him and wasn't frightened in the least bit.

Angelo took a deep breath and counted to ten.

It didn't help. She was still next to him, her hair was still on him, and he was pissed off.

To blow up, one needed to be angry enough.

Angelo was.

Trivia Question: Which tribute said "Shut up, or your neck and my hands are going to have a long conversation."

Previous Trivia Answer: Tessy and Romy were the two vegetarians.

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~*Misty*~